


Indulgence

by Emriel



Series: Jenova's Call [16]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Angst, Casual Sex, Gratuitous Smut, Humor, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Time Skips, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:34:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25781428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emriel/pseuds/Emriel
Summary: Cloud Strife falls asleep only to wake up when the world he knew is gone. Sephiroth unexpectedly saves him.
Relationships: Sephiroth/Cloud Strife
Series: Jenova's Call [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1786561
Comments: 10
Kudos: 114





	Indulgence

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted something cute and happy and this happened. I'm bad with summaries. This is so random.

Indulgence was foreign to him. Ever since he woke up from the fever dream, he assumed that he was a SOLDIER First Class and got pulled into a world of fighting until that was all he knew. Never stopping for why he did it, only that it's what felt right.

Cloud stared up at the sky, watching it darken, the same way it did when Zack died. And rain fell.

He assumed he was Zack. Or an amalgamation of the friend who protected him as he fought his way back to Midgar, to see Aerith. Another person he failed to save.

He pressed his lips against the worn out buster sword, kissing it gently.

Zack often touched the sword reverently, bringing it to his forehead, as if in a silent prayer. And perhaps he was praying, for his mentor to guide him, or something. Cloud did the same, out of habit. It felt reassuring to do a well practiced move. A moment of peace.

The droplets of rain went through the roof. Down beside him, and Cloud let it touch his skin. The rain reminded him of her.

The church was a place where he sought refuge, from a world that he never really understood. He didn’t feel normal. Not in the way that most people expected heroes should act. Nobody knew him. And he didn’t flaunt his strength. He ran a delivery service. His only company was his bike and his swords.

Fighting was where he got his pleasure. Outside of that, perhaps the only other indulgence was racing chocobos. Who would have thought he’d have a thing for speed when riding vehicles gave him hell.

Yellow flowers were blooming again. It spread out across the floor, finding ways to grow out of the floorboards.

Cloud wondered how long he had been hiding in the church. Not that he wanted anyone else to find him. It was no secret that he liked sleeping there, but it was also no secret that he wanted to be left alone.

He needed refuge after facing Sephiroth again. When he fought Kadaj, he enjoyed it. And there was a part of him that was secretly pleased to face Sephiroth again. No one had been strong enough. No one could face him in battle the same way.

At this point, he was addicted.

It was messed up.

He missed Zack terribly and maybe it was a selfish wish, but he wished he could have at least said thank you. And sorry, that he wasn’t good enough. That he failed at protecting Aerith. He wished he could see both of them again. That it hurt that all these things had to happen, because he wasn’t strong enough.

He wished he could hug them both, see them smile, and just have another chance. Another chance to make it right. Because it didn’t feel right that he was alive and the two of them were dead. Zack had always told him back when he couldn’t move or talk, that they were going to make it out alive, and they were going to stay together as buddies.

But it never happened. And Aerith said she’d protect him. To leave everything up to her. And she said she'll handle Sephiroth because she wasn’t afraid when back then, Cloud just wanted to run away.

It was unfair.

He wondered if it was okay, that he felt beat up inside. He was willing to die from the Geostigma. He was prepared to die again but for some reason here he was, alive. And shouldn't he be thankful?

But Cloud felt tired. It was nice to feel alive, but, it felt like so many things were missing.

Like Zack and Aerith. And then there was his mother who died before he got the chance to make amends to the lies and half truths he told her. How he selfishly pursued his dream without even bothering to consider how she’ll be, left all alone back in Nibelheim. Forgetting her, and forgetting even to pay respects.

When people die, all that’s left are memories. And Cloud just wished he could turn back the time, guilty for not being able to say the words he should have said, but saying them silently to himself.

'Sorry. Sorry for being stupid. Sorry for taking so long to understand. Sorry for wanting to run away. Sorry for pretending to be something I'm not.'

And he knew that everyone was going to die anyway, and that’s something he should expect, but they all died so young. And he was alive, just because they want him to live.

Zack wanted him to live. And he had friends now. He had Tifa, Barret, Cid, Nanaki, Vincent, Reeve, and Yuffie.

And yet, he felt empty.

He fell asleep, crying.

* * *

Cloud woke up, and when he did, he was surprised to see only darkness. He winced when he felt thorns poking through his side, and with some difficulty, he managed to pull himself out of the undergrowth wincing as he dislodged the thorn that poked a hole on the side of his stomach.

He dug himself out of the undergrowth and saw that he had woken up underneath a field of branches, vines, twigs, thorns, leaves and flowers.

“Where am I?”

Cloud gasped as he felt his skin knit itself shut from the shallow cut.

He looked around for a weapon and felt something behind him.

A rusted sword.

It looked familiar.

It was wrapped around vines and buried halfway in dirt. Cloud pulled away the green and brown, and he touched the dirty hilt.

“It can’t be.”

But he recognized the hilt.

It was the very same sword.

**_You’re awake._ **

“Who’s there?”

**_Who else could I be?_ **

“Sephiroth?”

There was laughter.

**_Leave that place, and come to me, Cloud._**

“Where?”

**_You’ll know._**

Cloud wondered what the hell the bastard meant by that. But the strangeness didn’t end there, once he cut through the greenery, he walked out to an abandoned city.

It had already been abandoned before.

But there was nothing there but trees and birds.

The golden rays of the sun hit the ruins of Midgar.

A bird hopped beside him and Cloud shielded his eyes.

His body felt tired, and weak.

And a vision came to him, he had to go North somehow.

And as the thought entered him, a wing came out of his back.

“The hell?!”

**_There’s no need to hide what you are. Come to me, puppet._ **

Cloud found it very difficult to concentrate after those words. But before long he was using the white wing, and he was flying high above, watching as he saw for miles and miles on end, no one was alive.

As if Midgar and Edge was just a thing of the past.

‘How long have I been asleep?’

He flew towards Tifa’s bar, but nothing remained but rubble. It had caved in from the chunk of concrete that came from a nearby building.

**_Cloud. Stop wasting your time. They will know you’re awake._ **

“Who? And how are you talking inside my head? Why should I trust you?”

**_I won’t harm you._ **

But that wasn’t reassuring at all.

The sky was slowly turning into a patch of violet in the distance. As Cloud flew upwards, he saw a dark black hulking thing that reminded him of a WEAPON.

As he saw it, he felt a headache.

**_Close your eyes._ **

And Cloud instinctively did so, and before long, he could feel a white hot ray sizzle past him.

And it went right through the WEAPON. It was a WEAPON, which roared and the ground was leveled when it tried to attack.

**_Fly._**

Another beam came through and the giant thing fell on its knees, sending a shock wave across the horizon, eviscerating all the trees and buildings around its area in one fell swoop as part of its body exploded.

The air blew past around it, hitting Cloud in the face and blowing him away.

He did not need to be told twice, and Cloud was flying towards the direction where he saw the light come from.

‘What’s happening?’

He felt sick, as he watched how many craters were in the ground.

Cities that he once knew flew past him. Roads, bridges, towns. All devoid of life.

Destroyed.

And in place, there was nothing but trees, wildlife, monsters, and black things that Cloud instinctively knew were similar to WEAPONs.

He wondered if any of the people he knew were still alive, but even he could put two and two together. Metal wouldn’t rust the way it did with the buster sword unless a long time had passed.  
  


* * *

He was exhausted once he felt that he’d reached his destination.

And wouldn’t you look at that, it was the Forgotten Capital.

For some reason, the white trees remained the same.

And he dropped towards the water.

Sephiroth was sitting by the bank, holding a yellow flower.

“You!”

Cloud swung the sword down.

“Oh. Is this the price I pay for saving your life?” Sephiroth taunted.

“What? Explain!?”

Cloud gritted his teeth, feeling a mind numbing sensation spread on his palms.

“Always quick to assume. Somehow I had hoped your long sleep would have fixed that, but all those years had not mellowed you down at all.”

Sephiroth twisted around the rusted sword and pressed the Masamune on his throat, kicking the back of his knees and Cloud fell down with a thud. His wing fluttered behind him.

“What’s going on?” Cloud had asked. “What did you do to everyone? Answer me, bastard!” Cloud asked angrily when Sephiroth didn't bother to respond.

Sephiroth laughed. “Cloud, don’t be difficult. I promise to explain, if you promise to behave yourself.”

“Like I would.” Cloud tried to twist himself and the Masamune cut his chin in the process.

Sephiroth frowned and sighed. The man swiftly retracted his sword only to stab it right across his stomach.

Cloud winced at the pain.

“Behave, Cloud.”

And that was all Cloud heard until Sephiroth cast something on him, which froze his movements.

The man then raised his hands and Cloud felt himself float. “Let go of me.”

“No. You came here of your own volition.”

“What? You were mind controlling me again.”

“I wasn’t.”

And just like that, Cloud shut up.

“You weren’t?” Cloud had honest to god's doubts about what Sephiroth said and the man merely smiled, languidly as he caressed his sword before cutting through thin air.

“Then why did I follow you?” Cloud asked.

“Why not ask yourself?” Sephiroth watched as a portal manifested and he stepped in with Cloud beside him.

“W-where are we going?”

“Somewhere safe.”

* * *

They landed in a place that defied the laws of nature. There were floating structures of dilapidated buildings scattered all around them. But there was a huge field in the middle. It had a lake, grass, and children with cat-like eyes. There were older people too. In the shadows.

They sat around the lake, conversing, and they looked for the lack of a better word, happy?

One boy looked a little older but Cloud knew him, just by the facial structure alone. And those eyes.

“Denzel?”

“He doesn’t remember you. You’ve been gone for far too long.”

As Sephiroth stepped in, Cloud felt his feet touch the ground.

“He’s back.”

“He’s back! Everyone.”

There was an excited murmuring, and all of a sudden, everyone else started kneeling.

“What are they doing?” Cloud asked, flabbergasted.

“Paying their respects. I am a God after all,” Sephiroth raised his hands which signaled for them to stop.

There were so many questions that he wanted answered. And none of them were forthcoming as the rest of them went back to whatever they were doing.

Some of them played in the water, while others went back to conversing.

“Let’s give you a bath,” Sephiroth offered.

Cloud could not react given the strangeness and since he couldn’t move his body, it wasn’t as if he could refuse.

They went inside a building, where the roof was torn up, but there was a functioning tub. The water was already heated up.

And Cloud was looking up at the stars.

“Promise not to run and I will let you undress yourself. Otherwise, I’ll treat you like the puppet that you are.”

Cloud hated this really but when he finally found that he could use his body, he hesitantly undressed.

He was filthy. So much gunk had been stuck to his skin that he didn’t really pay attention to. And it felt as if some of his clothes had rotted off him, leaving holes and some parts even crumbled to the touch.

Sephiroth was undressing as well. Smirking at him.

“If I wished to harm you, I would have done so by now. Repeatedly.” Sephiroth looked up at the sky and all of a sudden, rain was falling down through the roof.

It was cold.

And Cloud shivered, despite knowing it shouldn’t get him sick.

It felt unfamiliar, that was all.

And Cloud felt hands, and soap, on his back.

“It’s good to have you back, Cloud. I was waiting.”

* * *

Cloud self consciously put his knees to his chest.

Sephiroth languidly sat on the opposite edge, observing him, with his legs open.

“Ask and I’ll answer your questions,” Sephiroth said, as the steam floated before them.

“What do you want?”

“I have told you before. I wanted to use the planet as a vessel to sail across the universe. This rotten husk is nothing but poison to all those who live in it.”

Cloud crinkled his nose. “So you destroyed it.”

“No. It still exists. You saw it for yourself.” Sephiroth was amused and Cloud could feel it echo. The connection between the two of them was strong, just being next to each other.

It felt weird to be calmly conversing, surreal even.

Cloud tried to look away, but something about Sephiroth was pulling him in.

“What about the people?”

“Dead.” Sephiroth said as if it was nothing but a fact. And perhaps it was.

Cloud trembled. And tried to control his breathing. He had to behave. He had to—

“Calm down.” Sephiroth’s hand was suddenly on his and he was pulled closer.

“You’ll hurt yourself if you think about them too much.” And Cloud’s head was pressed against a shoulder as larger hands pressed against his back.

“Don’t worry. They didn’t suffer. Terribly.” Sephiroth traced circles and Cloud found himself relaxing against his will.

“How did they die?”

“ _Jenova_.”

“So it _was_ your fault,” Cloud pushed himself away but Sephiroth’s grip was iron tight. Almost bruising. A hand slithered to the back of his hair.

“No Cloud. It was _your_ fault. I told you _before._ The planet’s fate was up to you. The moment you lost interest in it was the moment I felt nothing _hold_ me back from destroying it. Mother wished to conquer the planet from the start since it was already headed into an early death with or without her interference. When you were crying your heart out, even for a moment, you hated this world. Your body responded, and mother was all too happy to provide you relief.”

Cloud blinked, “You’re putting the blame… on me?”

Sephiroth smiled, “No. But you are the catalyst. After all, what was the point of keeping the planet alive when you already hated it. The Geostigma spread, killing all those that could not assimilate mother’s call. Those you saw here, they are the only survivors. I’ve been collecting them. A thousand years have passed since you fell asleep, Cloud.”

A thousand.

Cloud let that settle inside his brain.

It only took a thousand years for the world he knew to end in such a way.

“What?” Came his eloquent reply.

“Cloud, it’s not all that difficult to believe. You’re alive because you have a bit of myself inside of you. You’re my puppet, and sadly, you will not die so easily. You slept through the wars, the genocide, and if it were not for me waking you up, you’d remain asleep until the end of this world.” Sephiroth carded his fingers on his hair as if placating him like a pet.

Sephiroth pressed his lips against his ears, “Of course. You are a precious puppet, I would not let you waste away but someone particularly distasteful begged endlessly for me to save you. I would have done so eventually, but she was persistent.”

Cloud knew who it was, “Aerith.”

“Yes. Her. She allowed me to consume her to save you.”

Cloud felt lost.

“Consume her?”

“I told you that there is a lot of energy to be derived in the Lifestream, and all the souls of the dead go there. She was willing to do this for you.”

Cloud gritted his teeth.

“Give her back!”

"I can't do that. It's impossible."

Sephiroth’s hand tightened on his hair, “Don’t let her sacrifice be in vain.”

Before the man left the tub and abandoned him there.

Sephiroth stepped out and clothes simply materialized around his form.

Cloud wished for his old clothes back but nothing happened.

Sephiroth laughed.

Cloud just couldn't wrap his mind around what Sephiroth just said and the words echoed in his head. Aerith sacrificing herself again for him. But why. She could have just let him die.

He wanted to die and this wasn't ever going to make it easier for him.

Crying wouldn't help too. But he was tired. Tired of trying to make sense of it and tired of feeling guilty and upset. Sephiroth trying to pin the blame on him was unfair.

And he dunked his head underneath the water watching the murky sky from underneath. He stayed for as long under until the need to breathe overwhelmed him.

Maybe this was all just a dream. A horrible nightmare that he'd wake up from.

* * *

“And what about… what about the others? Like Tifa? Vincent?” After Cloud recovered from his shell shocked state, he was out of the quickly cooling tub.

Cloud found a towel and used that as his clothing. Sephiroth sat on a bed, sipping something piping hot. It smelled suspiciously like coffee.

He didn't want to know how Sephiroth made coffee. And he didn't want to ask how Sephiroth's little world worked. But Sephiroth just smiled at him knowingly. The man could read him like a book and looked at him fondly.

So fond he wanted to beat it out of his face because who gave him the right to smile like that when Cloud felt like shit inside.

“Your demon friend is alive. He is immortal after all. The red animal is alive too but barely. His species are rather long lived but he is approaching the last stretches of his life. Everyone else is dead.”

Cloud felt some relief that Nanaki and Vincent survived. Thankful but not entirely surprised. He wondered if he can meet them but at the same time, he didn't think it would go well if he showed up with Sephiroth or showed up with a wing. He'd been gone for far too long and he didn't want to explain why when he's the one who had so many questions.

“What’s up… outside?” Cloud asked instead and he fastened the towel around his middle more tightly. Sephiroth eyed him up. And down.

It made his skin crawl.

“The planet is trying its best to fight mother. But all it’s doing is summoning WEAPONs and destroying all that lives.”

“But I killed them before.” Cloud remembered fighting the Emereld, Ruby… all of them really.

“You killed them, but you forgot to kill yourself.”

“What?”

“Don't you know? You’re a WEAPON too Cloud. Those things are the brothers and sisters Gaia made for you. They sensed your awakening and they were searching for you, and yet, you are _mother’s_ child as well. Caught serving two masters. A troublesome puppet. That's what you are. Come here, Cloud.”

Cloud hesitated but sat before Sephiroth.

Sephiroth kissed him.

And Cloud spluttered.

He pushed Sephiroth away and wiped his lips, grossed out, growling, "Bastard. What the hell did you do that for?"

But Sephiroth pushed him down the bed, pushing his knees in between his.

“What are you doing?” Cloud protested, pushing his arms upwards and away from the one that was currently pinning him down.

“Staking my claim?”

“I didn’t know you were interested,” Cloud said, even though he felt flustered.

“Have I not made my interest clear?”

“No.”

“Then I’m making it known now. I want you, Cloud.”

And Cloud felt his eyes dilate, as Sephiroth leaned over him, pushing his legs high and thrusting against him.

"Let me take care of you."

Cloud closed his eyes and Sephiroth's hands wandered and spread him open. Just a little wider. And the man looked so satisfied. So smug so Cloud thrust upwards. And Sephiroth dug his fingers on his hip.

Cloud let Sephiroth fuck him. There was no other word for it.

* * *

And as much as everything didn’t make sense, the sex did. Because Cloud had wondered about it one too many times, and it was perfect in ways he would never admit.

And lacking in ways he knew it should, because there were no romantic feelings involved. Only angry hate sex that had Cloud digging his nails deep in Sephiroth’s shoulders as the man thrust inside him, and called him his puppet.

And he scratched and clawed, drawing blood from Sephiroth whenever he could. Sephiroth just laughed at him. "Look at you."

And Cloud's face was smeared with Sephiroth's cum for having to suck the man off before his face was pressed on the pillows and entered from behind.

It hurt. But it was so sinfully good. It felt like Sephiroth was never going to stop fucking him. And Cloud was already feeling exhaustion creep up on him.

When it was finally done, Cloud stayed in bed, covered in cum, quickly drying blood, and a blanket. And they'd just taken a bath.

“What now?” Cloud said, as he stared at another broken ceiling, wondering why Sephiroth bothered using such a beat up place. The stars dotted the horizon.

“You can try to save the world or you can stay here. You are immortal, and the Lifestream will break you and turn you into its WEAPON should you try to sink into its depths. Or you can go back in time. With me.”

Cloud blinked.

Go back in time. How? And more importantly, “Why?”

“It’s the only way to find the ideal reality you wish for. You want your friends to survive. You want to see Zack, and the Ancient alive. But if we leave, this World will die. For I will consume it. The choice is yours, Cloud.” Sephiroth pressed a kiss on the side of his neck.

The man looked satisfied and sucked on his skin.

“Is this what Aerith wanted?” Cloud found himself asking, trying not to feel disturbed at how Sephiroth was trying to give him a hickey, and quite possibly failing.

"Perhaps."

Cloud was left wondering why he felt so at peace next to the man who was responsible for so much of his misery.

And Cloud groaned when he felt him harden inside.

“I’m still sore.”

“Your body can take a beating. Let me have another go.”

“You beast.”

“God. There is a _big_ difference,” And Sephiroth punctuated this, with a deep thrust that had Cloud grasping at the sheets.

* * *

Thoroughly fucked, Cloud came out of the little room and the not so little building and found himself walking towards Denzel.

“Oh, God’s angel.” They murmured excitedly.

Denzel looked older.

They excitedly told them their names.

“I’m Denzel.” “Carlo.” “Andrea.”

Three kids. The rest of them were asleep, or watching from the distance.

“I’m Cloud.”

And Cloud had the most unpleasant experience of the three kids gushing over Sephiroth because he was a literal God that saved them from a life of torture and granted them a sanctuary where all of them could materialize whatever they wished for from within their memories… because the world outside was full of monsters and they were too afraid to step out of Sephiroth’s little world.

He wondered if he’d act the same way if he was the same little kid who wanted to be like Sephiroth.

They all thought this place was heaven.

But it was anything but.

Cloud found Sephiroth descending from the skies after he made his peace that all the _people_ he would ever meet in the sanctuary were fanatics of his nemesis.

Or was it lover now? Just because they had sex once or twice or maybe a couple of times it didn't make them lovers did it?

Was it a one night stand then?

Who knew.

Cloud offered his hand when Sephiroth reached out for him and together they left the sanctuary to see what had become of the planet. Another weird super charged portal opened and they flew in.

“Are you ready, Cloud?”

Cloud wanted to shake his head but nodded instead.

“What happens to their souls here?...”

“Some of it will escape while others will be absorbed.”

“And you promise me Vincent and Red will be safe.”

“Unless they wish to die.” Sephiroth answered enigmatically. At this point Cloud just wanted it to be over with. IF there was a way to undo the mess that had happened just because he was stupid enough to wish for a better scenario, then he’d do it.

All around them, there were shadowy beings and large hulking WEAPONs began appearing in the distance. 

Sephiroth’s form changed into something more eerie, losing his human form, his lower half turned into wings, and a halo appeared over his head, while his dark wing began to merge over his arm and his hair started floating, as if it had a mind of its own.

Sephiroth summoned Meteor and Cloud protected him.

Who would have thought he would willingly destroy the planet.

But Cloud could feel Aerith inside Sephiroth. And no one else was crazy enough to demand something so stupid from the insane man.

Meteor crashed, faster than it took the first time. Leveling a portion of the planet, and exposing its core to Sephiroth who happily dove in and began absorbing it.

* * *

And when Cloud woke up, it was to the sight of Zack worriedly asking him if he’s okay.

“Sephiroth, I don’t think he’s okay, Cloud’s never been good at rides. You know, he looked like hell in Junon.”

And Cloud couldn’t help himself and started crying.

“Aww see what I mean. Hey buddy, you okay there?”

“I’m okay Zack… Are you real?”

"I am. Shit this might be serious." Zack worriedly looked at him and gave him a hug.

"Where are we?"

"On the way to Nibelheim. Got a mission in the reactor, remember? Was it a bad dream? I got you, okay?"

And Cloud felt positively sick. He started making gagging sounds.

Cloud felt like he just woke up from a nightmare. He hoped that all the things he dreamed of were just dreams but it felt too long a dream to be a dream.

And when he looked at Sephiroth, the man smirked.

Cocky bastard.

“Sephiroth, stop the car. I think he’s going to throw up,” Zack worriedly whined to which, Sephiroth signaled to the driver.

Cloud rushed out of the truck as soon as it stopped and started puking his guts out.

Later, in some form of pity, Sephiroth handed him a bottle of water, “How do you feel, Cloud?”

Cloud started coughing, and cursed his younger self for being unenhanced.

“Like hell, Sephiroth.”

“Good.”

And Sephiroth’s gloved hands found themselves on Cloud’s head, petting him. It felt familiar. Almost grounding.

“What about the others?” Cloud was talking about the children.

“They will exist in the same dimension. Forever.”

Cloud couldn’t wrap his head around that too.

‘Will you burn my hometown again? How does this work?’ Cloud thought, and hoped that Sephiroth got the message.

But Sephiroth merely smiled at him because all too soon, Zack was there.

Zack squatted next to Cloud and patted his back. “Everything okay, Cloud? I got you some pills you can drink. Do you think you can swallow them for me?”

Cloud wanted to cry again and just nodded.

As his stomach settled down and they were back in the truck Cloud wasn’t sure what to say and kept sneaking glances at Sephiroth who merely mouthed, “Don’t worry.”

* * *

Cloud comes home with two SOLDIER Firsts in tow. And he was crying for the second time that day when he hugged his mother.

“Oh, Cloud. It’s good to see you dear… What’s wrong?”

“Just happy you’re okay, Ma… and I uh, wanna introduce you. Here’s Zack, my close friend and uh General Sephiroth.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am,” Sephiroth kissed the knuckles of Claudia’s hand and it had his mother blushing.

“My, what a gentleman. Settle down…” and to Cloud, Claudia chided, “You should have told me you were bringing guests along. I’ll heat up some of the leftovers and cook something new. Don’t worry, it’s your favorite.”

And somehow they all managed to fit in the dining table with Cloud next to Sephiroth and Zack in front of him. Claudia had a pleasant smile on her face.

Cloud almost wanted to glare at Sephiroth but fidgeted instead. Midway through the delicious meal that had Cloud inwardly sighing in pleasure, Sephiroth opened his mouth.

“I intend to court your son,” Came Sephiroth’s smooth voice.

Zack, Cloud and Claudia spluttered and Cloud started choking. Sephiroth went behind Cloud and knelt behind him, wrapping his arms around his stomach and making a fist and pushing backwards that had Cloud spitting out the meat that got stuck there.

“Hng...gahh!” Cloud looked scandalized but massaged his sore throat as Sephiroth sat down beside him yet again.

“What?” Zack looked between the two of them.

“What did you just say? I might have misheard,” Claudia was wiping her lips and tried to smile.

“Cloud belongs… with me.”

Cloud stood up, and if Sephiroth started raving about how he was his puppet, and how he was created for him, he would never live it down. "I—"

Zack interrupted Cloud before he could say his piece. “Woah woah, hold up. Since when have you two been seeing each other? And Cloud, you’re a minor. Seph! He’s what, fifteen? Sixteen? You just can’t… Cloud!? Help. I knew you were always attracted to him, but isn’t this you know, a bit too sudden?”

“But you have Aerith and she's a minor too,” Cloud pointed out, and Zack looked as if he just got kicked.

“He’s your superior,” Zack pouted, folding his arms.

“We have kept our relationship a secret for the very reason. Know that I only have his best interests at heart. I intend to keep him... safe. From any harm.” Sephiroth smirked and placed a hand on Cloud’s lap which made Cloud shiver all over.

“No.” Claudia declared. “Not until he turns eighteen.”

Cloud slapped a hand on his forehead.

“I can wait,” Sephiroth all but purred.

* * *

And when Cloud sat on his bed, Sephiroth sat next to him.

“You ruined it.”

“No, I made it easier for both of us. And what I said is not entirely a lie. I will pursue you, whether you like it or not. You are mine after all. And this new world is yours too, if you so wish it. I will even help you achieve your goals and save all the people you wish to save.”

“And then what?”

“I only ask for you to stay with me, this time.”

…

“Okay.”

If only.

Sephiroth’s pleased little smirk was hidden in the fluff of his hair, and Cloud sighed, feeling his heart skip a beat.

And underneath the cover of the blanket, a hand unzipped his pants while Zack and Claudia conversed in the kitchen.

“S-stop…” Cloud whispered.

“It doesn’t seem like you want me to.” Sephiroth whispered. And pretty soon Sephiroth’s hands were inside his briefs, and he began moving his hands up and down. His larger body covered Cloud from view, and Cloud blushed tomato red.

**_Let me play with you, puppet. Don’t deny me._ **

'Oh God. I can still hear you inside my head.'

And Cloud pressed his head against Sephiroth’s chest. He started leaking and the slippery wet sounds could be heard and Cloud's eyes widened, feeling self conscious trying to keep his legs together but it didn't matter, and Cloud was staring at the kitchen and at Zack who perked up and started staring back at him. And Cloud stared at blue eyes and blue eyes stared at him, eyes wide.

‘He knows. He knows. He knows. Stop!’

And Cloud whimpered as he came, slumping against Sephiroth and curling into a ball, embarrassed.

Sephiroth wiped his hand against Cloud’s pants and covered him entirely with a blanket, tucking him in.

“Good night, Cloud.”

He was in so much trouble, wasn’t he?

**Author's Note:**

> I was tempted to end it in a rather creepy note. Where Cloud is still asleep all this time but I like happy endings too. Let me know what you think!


End file.
